LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity

In this video Paul Andersen describes several types of evidence for common ancestry.  This evidence is contained in the fossils, embryos and molecules of living organisms.  Even though life on our planet is incredibly diverse there are common threads that run through everything.  This idea was most elegantly put forward by Charles Darwin before much of this evidence was gathered.  A teaching progression K-12 is also included.

CCC1: Patterns

Paul Andersen explains patterns and describes why pattern recognition is an important skill in science and engineering.  He begins by discussing patterns in nature, including snowflakes, flower petals, seasons and nucleotides in DNA.  He then illustrates the importance of classification in describing and eventually understanding patterns.  He gives a progression instruction in the science classroom from grade K to 12.  A secret pattern is hidden within the video.

SEP4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Paul Andersen explains how scientists analyze and interpret data.  Data can be organized in a table and displayed using a graph.  Students should learn how to present and evaluate data.